1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to alarm clocks and, more specifically, to alarm clocks for the deaf, hearing impaired or heavy sleepers.
2. Description of the Art
Alarm clocks are widely used to awaken individuals at a user set time. However, deaf people, people having varying degrees of hearing impairment, and even heavy sleepers are not usually able to hear an alarm clock which typically generates an audible sound when the time of day coincides with the preset alarm time.
In order to overcome this problem and to provide alarm clocks which are usable by the deaf, hearing impaired and heavy sleepers, wrist watches and standard alarm clocks have been devised to provide a visual output, such as a flashing light, or a tactile output, such as vibrations, which can be easily detected. Such alarm clocks have also been provided with a remotely useable vibrator which is attachable to the alarm clock and activated when the time of day coincides with the preset alarm time to provide detectible vibrations to a pillow or directly to the person sleeping in a bed.
Other alarm clocks have been devised with variable volume and different preset tones for use by people suffering from only minimal degree of hearing impairment or who have difficulty waking up to conventional alarm tone or buzzer.
Various other hearing impaired devices have also been devised to aid the hearing impaired in detecting the occurrence of certain events, typically events which create an audible sound, such as a doorbell, telephone, baby monitor, smoke detector, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,238, issued to the Applicant, discloses a visual signaling device in which sound sensors, in response to the occurrence of a nearby sound producing event, such as a doorbell or telephone ring, a sound from a baby or child, or the activation of a smoke detector, generate a unique radio frequency signal which is transmitted to a central receiver. The receiver central is connected to a building or home electrical power line distribution network to transmit coded line carrier signals over the building power lines to remote units which are typically plugged into various outlets in the building or home. The remote units control the supply of electrical power to an electrical device, such as a lamp, plugged into each remote unit. The remote units flash the lamp on and off at a predetermined sequence in accordance with the sound producing event detected by a particular sound sensor. This provides the deaf or hearing impaired with a visual indication of the occurrence of a particular sound producing event due to the sequence of on and off changes of the lamp.
However, prior to the Applicant's present invention, an alarm clock has not been devised which combines the features of visual, or a tactile outputs with a power line carrier system to provide an indication to a deaf or hearing impaired person and/or heavy sleeper of the occurrence of a remote sound producing event or other signal that can trigger a remote transmitter. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an alarm clock which provides these features in a simple, expedient manner. It would also be desirable to provide an alarm clock having these features which is simple in construction and use. It would also be desirable to provide an alarm clock having these features which provides either or both of a selected visible light or vibratory output. It would also be desirable to provide an alarm clock having these features which also includes a conventional audible tone or sound generator, with the provision of variable volume and frequency or tone controls for use by persons suffering from varying degrees of hearing impairment who can still hear high volume sounds or certain sound frequencies.